A group of Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign aides were criticized by liberals for gaslighting and lacking accountability in a podcast interview about what went wrong in the 2024 election. The aides, including Jen O’Malley Dillon, David Plouffe, Quentin Fulks, and Stephanie Cutter, spoke with the hosts of “Pod Save America” in the campaign’s first major interview since the loss.
The interview was widely panned on social media, with critics accusing the aides of making excuses and refusing to take responsibility for the campaign’s shortcomings. They repeatedly cited their 107-day timeline, due to President Biden’s unexpected primary victory and his delay in dropping out of the race.
Several experts and journalists, including pollster Nate Silver and CNN’s Bakari Sellers, called out the aides for their lack of self-awareness and accountability. The aides’ responses were also seen as dismissive and unemotional, with one comment comparing the election outcome to a “bulls— narrative.”
Critics noted that the campaign team was made up of seasoned veterans of Democratic campaigns, and yet they seemed unable to provide any meaningful insights or strategies for improvement. The lack of self-reflection and acknowledgment of the campaign’s failures was seen as especially problematic.
The backlash to the interview was intense, with many commenters on social media accusing the aides of “gaslighting” and describing the podcast as a “painful listen.” Some experts questioned whether the aides were simply unable to admit defeat, while others noted that their excuses and defensive posture could potentially harm future Democratic candidates.
The fallout from the interview has continued to attract widespread attention, with some arguing that the campaign’s mistakes and refusal to confront reality could have far-reaching implications for the party.